Grain drying and conveying apparatus for combines and the like



Jan. 19, 1965 F. H. CLUTE 3,156,334

GRAIN DRYING AND commune APPARATUS FOR COMBINES AND THE LIKE Filed 001;;1'7. 1960 F534. J5 E 70 .50 v ,/ZU

United States Patent ()fiice 3,166,384 Patented Jan. 19, 1965 3,166,384GRAIN DRYING AND CONVEYING APlARATUS FOR COMBINES AND THE LIKE FrancisH. Clute, Rocky Ford, Cold, assignor to Francis H. Clute & Son, Inc.,Rocky Ford, Colo, a corporation of Colorado Filed Oct. 17, 1960, Ser.No. 62,915 9 Claims. (CI. 3457) The present invention relates to graindrying and conveying apparatus for use on combines or the like, and moreparticularly, the present invention relates to such apparatus providedwith pneumatic conveying structure.

It is an object of the present invention to provide grain dryingapparatus for use with a combine or the like wherein pneumatic means areprovided for conveying grain during at least a part of the drying cycleso that the grain movement may be accomplished in a simplified,inexpensive manner.

It is another object of the present invention to provide grain dryingand conveying apparatus for use on a combine or the like, wherein theconveying means includes a suction-type, pneumatic conveyor, and asuction dust and chaff removing means coupled to a common source ofvacuum.

Various other objects and advantages will become apparent as thedescription of the invention proceeds, and various modifications andchanges may be made to the structure which will be described withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention. Such additional advantagesand modifications are intended to be covered by the scope of theappended claims.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a partially schematic, side elevational view of grain dryingand conveying apparatus embodying the present invention, with portionsbroken away and shown in cross section for clarity; and

FIG. 2 is a transverse, cross-sectional view taken along line 22 of FIG.1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

In the drawing, there is schematically illustrated a combined frameindicated generally by the numeral 10. Frame 10 supports an internalcombustion engine 12, having an exhaust port 14. Frame 10 furthersupports an upright, tubular member 16 having a generally tortuousconfiguration in vertical cross section. Frame It) additionally supportsa pneumatic conveyor indicated generally by the numeral 18, and disposedin a vertical plane. Also adapted for support on frame 10 (although notshown in the drawing), are a grain-receiving hopper or container 20 anda threshed grain conduit 22 for con- Veying threshed grain to hopper orcontainer 20.

l A closer inspection of FIGS. 1 and 2 will show that the tubular member16 comprises an outer rectangular frame 24 provided with partitions 26and 28 extending between the long side walls of frame 24 in spaced,parallel relationship to each other, and to the short side walls offrame 24. The frame 24 and partitions 26 and 28 thereby define a centralgrain-carrying passage 30, flanked by passages 32 and 34 for carryinghot products of combustion. As will be seen by referring to FIG. 1 ofthe drawing, member 16 has a generally zigzag configuration in verticalcross section created by the formation of the member 16 of a series ofright-angled bends 36.

A plurality of windows 38 are provided in the long side walls of frame24, rendering the passage 36 visible from the outside of frame 24. Theuppermost and lowermost ends of member 16 are open and there isprovided, at the lowermost open end of member 16, a slide 40 forcoupling the lower extremity of member 16 to conveyor 18. An exhaustmanifold 42 is provided for coupling exhaust port 14 of engine 12 withthe passages 32 and 34 of member 16 at the lowermost extremity ofpassages 32 and 34. Passages 32 and 34 terminate at the upper extremityof member 16 in a pair of secondary exhaust ports 44 and 46 which areopen to atmosphere.

The upper portion of conduit 22 is provided with a trough 48 extendingin a downwardly inclined direction to a funnel assembly 59. Funnelassembly 56 includes a funnel 52 and a spent 54 extending downwardlytherefrom into the open upper extremity of tubular member 16. Spout 54is provided with an angular portion 56 having a generally L-shaped,internal baffle 58 inclined downwardly in a direction opposite to theinclination of trough 48. Spout 54 has a port 60 into which one end of avacuum conduit 62 is coupled.

Conveyor 18 includes an elongated, upright, hollow element 64, beingopen to atmosphere at its lower end and extending upwardly in agenerally inverted, J-shaped configuration to terminate at the oppositeend in coupled connection with a cyclonic separator 66. Cyclonicseparator 66 is provided with an internal bafile 68 and a dischargeopening 70. The cyclonic separator 66 is further provided with adischarge pipe '72 extending tangentially from the upper portion thereofand terminating in coupled connection with an intake port 74 of acompressor 76. Compressor '76 is further provided with a discharge port78. Compressor 76 may be supported in any suitable manner not shown,from the combine frame 10, or from other structure of the combine, andthe same may be driven through a belt and pulley arrangement such asindicated generally at the numeral 80 from any suitable source of power.

While the structure embodying the concepts of this invention couldequally well be used in a fixed location as in association with a grainelevator or grain storage bin, the operation of the same will bedescribed in its preferred embodiment where it is used in combinationwith the structure of a combine.

In operation, threshed grain from the combine is conveyed upwardlythrough conduit 22 toward the top portion thereof where it is divertedthrough trough 48 into the funnel 52 of funnel assembly 50. It isobvious, of course, that the trough 48, being inclined, the grain willgravitate downwardly into the funnel 52. The grain will continue togravitate downwardly over the baffle 58 in spout 54 and thence throughthe remaining portion of spout 54 into the open upper extremity ofpassage 30.

Since the vacuum conduit 62 is coupled at its other end with pipe 72,which ultimately is connected with the intake port 74 of compressor 76,a suction is formed in conduit 62 and port 60 which will draw off thedust and chaflf present in the grain falling through spout 54. However,the presence of the bafile 58 and its position as indicated in thedrawing, is such that the grain itself will not be drawn off throughconduit 62, but will gravitate through the tortuous configuration ofpassage 30. At the same time that the grain is gravitating downwardlythrough the passage 30, hot products of combustion are being drawn offfrom port 14 of engine 12, and piped through manifold 42 into thepassages 32 and 34. The hot products of combustion, which in most caseswill be the exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine, will travelupwardly partially due to the force of the exhaust gases, and partiallydue to the normal convection currents, to eventually be discharged toatmosphere through ports 44 and 46.

It should be recognized that, when an embodiment of the presentinvention is used in a fixed location, any source of thermal energy maybe substituted for the hot products of combustion and could be in theform of a high resistance electric heater or the like. Since thepassages 32 and 34 are separated from passage 30 only by the partitions26 and 28, it is manifest that the hot prod- =3 ucts of combustiontraveling upwardly through the passages 32 and 34, will be inheat-exchange relationship with the grain traveling downwardly throughthe passage 3% thereby accomplishing the drying of the grain. When thegrain reaches the open lower extremity of member 16, it will bedischarged over slide 49 into ele ment 64. Element 64 is connected withthe intake port 74- of compressor '76 indirectly through the cyclonicseparator (s6 and pipe 72.

Compressor 76 induces currents of air through element 64in an upwarddirection, due to the fact that the connection is with the intake sideof compressor 76, and for this reason, the lowermost extremity ofelement 64 is open to atmosphere to permit air to be drawn intherethrough. The currents of air, induced in element 64 in an upwarddirection, are of sufiicient pressure to convey the grain received fromthe lower extremity of member 16, upwardly through element 64 as thegrain becomes entrained in the currents of air and eventually into thecyclonic separator 6d.

Baffle 63 in cyclonic separator 66, insures that the grain conveyed tothe separator will swirl downwardly through separator 66 for eventualdischarge through opening 7%} into hopper or container 26 At the sametime, the bafile 63 also provides for insuring that the air and anyremaining dust and chaff, will travel tangentially away from separator66 through pipe 72, and the same will ultimately be discharged alongwith the dust and chaff brought into compressor 76, through conduit 62,from the discharge port 78 of compressor 76 into the atmosphere. Ofcourse, a suitable means for catching the dust and chaff could beprovided if such were desirable, but as the same forms no part of thepresent invention, it is not shown in the drawing.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. For use on a combine provided with a frame, a source of hot productsof combustion, a grain receiving hopper adjacent the upper part of thecombine and a threshed grain conduit for conveying grain to said upperpart of the combine, the combination of an upright, imperforate, tubularmember adapted to be mounted on the frame and having an open upper endpositioned to re ceive grain from said conduit whereby the graingravitates through said member; imperforate wall means spaced from andextending along the outer surface of said member for defining with thelatter an enclosed fluid passage extending continuously between the endsof said member and adapted to be coupled to said source of hot productsof combustion for bringing said products into -:heat exchangerelationship with the grain along a path exteriorly of said member asthe grain gravitates through said member; conveyor means adapted to bemounted on said frame and disposed to receive the grain from the lowerextremity of said member and extending upwardly therefrom for dischargeof grain into said hopper; and suction means connected to said conveyorfor forcing currents of air therethrough in a direction and undersufficient pressure to convey the grain from said lower extremity of themember, upwardly through the conveyor as the grain is entrained in saidcurrents of air and whereby the grain is ultimately discharged from saidconveyor into the hopper.

2. The structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein said upright tubularmember and said wall means are of a tortuous configuration.

3. The structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein said conveyor meansincludes a cyclonic separator having a discharge opening over saidhopper, and an elongated, upright, hollow element open to atmosphere atthe lower end thereof and terminating at the other end in said cyclonicseparator.

4. The structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein said means for forcingcurrents of air through said conveyor includes a compressor having anintake port and an expart of the combine, the combination of, an uprighttubular member adapted to be mounted on the frame and having an openupper end positioned to receive grain from said conduit whereby thegrain gravitates through said member; dust and chaff removal meanscoupled with said member adjacent said open upper end of said member forremoving dust and chaff from the grain gravitating through said member;means adjacent said member and adapted to be coupled to said source ofhot products of combustion for bringing said products into heat exchangerelationship with the grain as the same gravitates through said member;conveyor means adapted to be mounted on said frame and disposed toreceive'the grain from the lower extremity of said member and extendingupwardly therefrom for discharge of grain into said hopper; and meansconnected to said conveyor for forcing currents of air therethrough in adirection and under sufficient pressure to convey the grain from saidlower extremity of the member, upwardly through the conveyor as thegrain is ultimately discharged from said conveyor into the hopper.

6. The structure as set forth in claim 5, wherein said dust and chaffremoval means includes a vacuum conduit coupled at one end with saidmember and at the other end with said means for forcing currents of airthrough said conveyor; and a bafie mounted in said member and positionedto permit air, dust and chaff to pass into said vacuum conduit whiledirecting grain toward gravitational flow through said member.

7. For use on a combine provided with a frame, a source of hot productsof combustion, a grain receiving hopper adjacent the upper part of thecombine and a threshed grain conduit for conveying grain to said upperpart of the combine, the combination of an upright tubu lar memberadapted to be mounted on the frame and having an open upper endpositioned to receive grain from saidconduit whereby the graingravitates through said member; means adjacent said member and adaptedto be coupled to said source of hot products of combustion for bringingsaid products into heat exchange relationship with the grain as the samegravitates through said member; an elongated, upright, :hollow elementopen to atmosphere at the lower end thereof, said element adapted to bemounted on said frame and disposed to receive the grain from the lowerextremity of said member, said element terminating at the upper endthereof in a cyclonic separator having a discharge opening over saidhopper; a compressor adapted to be mounted on said frame, saidcompressor having an intake port and an exhaust port; a vacuum conduitcoupled at one end with said member adjacent said open upper end of saidmember; a baflle mounted in said member and positioned to permit air,dust and chaff to pass into said vacuum conduirt while directing graintoward gravitational flow through said member; said intake port of saidcompressor being coupled to said separator and said vacuum conduitwhereby currents of air are induced in said vacuum conduit in adirection and under sufficient force to entrain and remove dust andchaff from the grain gravitating through said member and currents of airare induced in said element and separator in a direction and undersufficient pressure to convey the grain from said lower extremity of themember, upwardly through the element as the grain is entrained in saidcurrents of air to said separator wherein said grain is separated fromsaid currents of air and discharged through said opening into saidhopper, the air, dust and chaff being discharged through said compressorand exhaust port to atmosphere.

'8. In a grain drying and conveying assembly, a source 5 of thermalenergy; a source of grain to bedried and conveyed; an upright tubularmember; having an open upper end positioned to receive grain from saidsourceof grain to be dried and conveyed, whereby the grain gravitatesthrough said member; dust and chaff removal means coupled with saidmember adjacent said open upper end' of said member for removing dustand chatf from the grain gravitating through said member; means adjacentsaid member coupled to said source of thermal energy for bringing saidthermal energy into heat exchange relationship with the grain as thesame gravitates through said member; a grain collection containerpositioned above said open upper end of said member; conveyor meansdisposed to receive the grain from the lower extremity of said memberand extending upwardly therefrom for discharge of grain into saidcontainer; and means coupled with said conveyor for forcing currents ofair therethrough in a direction and under suflicient pressure to conveythe grain from said lower extremity of the member, upwardly through theconveyor as the grain is entrained in said currents of air and wherebythe grain is ultimately discharged from said conveyor into thecontainer.

9. Ina grain drying and conveying assembly, a source of thermal energy;a source of grain to be dried and conveyed; an upright tubular memberhaving an open upper end positioned to receive grain from said source ofgrain to be dried and conveyed, whereby the grain gravitates throughsaid member; means adjacent said member coupled to said source ofthermal energy for bringing said thermal energy into heat exchangerelationship with the grain \as the same gravitates through said member;a grain.

collection container positioned above said open upper end of saidmember; an elongated, upright, hollow'element open to atmosphere at thelower end thereof, said element coupled with the lower extremity of saidmember for receiving grain therefrom, said element terminating at theupper end thereof in a cyclonic separator having a discharge openingover said container; a compressor having an intake port and an exhaustport; a vacuum conduit coupled at one end with said member adjacent saidopen upper endof said member; a battle mounted in said member andpositioned to permit air, dust and chalf to pass into said vacuumconduit while directing grain toward gravitational flow through saidmember; said intake port of said compressor being coupled to saidseparator and said vacuum conduit whereby currents of air are induced insaid vacuum conduit in a direction md under sufiicient force to entrainand remove dust and chaff from the grain gravitating through said memberand currents of air are induced in said element and separator in adirection and under suificient pressure to convey the grain from saidlower extremity of the member, upwardly through the element as the grainis entrained in said currents of air to said separator wherein saidgrain is separated from said currents of air and discharged through saidopening into said container, the air, dust and chafi being dischargedthrough said compressor and exhaust port to atmosphere.

References Cited. in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSFrance Nov. 8, 1937

1. FOR USE ON A COMBINE PROVIDED WITH A FRAME, A SOURCE OF HOT PRODUCTSOF COMBUSTION, A GRAIN RECEIVING HOPPER ADJACENT THE UPPER PART OF THECOMBINE AND A THRESHED GRAIN CONDUIT FOR CONVEYING GRAIN TO SAID UPPERPART OF THE COMBINE, THE COMBINATION OF AN UPRIGHT, IMPERFORATE, TUBULARMEMBER ADAPTED TO BE MOUNTED ON THE FRAME AND HAVING AN OPEN UPPER ENDPOSITIONED TO RECEIVE GRAIN FROM SAID CONDUIT WHEREBY THE GRAINGRAVITATES THROUGH SAID MEMBER; IMPERFORATE WALL MEANS SPACED FROM ANDEXTENDING ALONG THE OUTER SURFACE OF SAID MEMBER FOR DEFINING WITH THELATTER AN ENCLOSED FLUID PASSAGE EXTENDING CONTINUOUSLY BETWEEN THE ENDSOF SAID MEMBER AND ADAPTED TO BE COUPLED TO SAID SOURCE OF HOT PRODUCTSOF COMBUSTION FOR BRINGING SAID PRODUCTS INTO HEAT EXCHANGE RELATIONSHIPWITH THE GRAIN ALONG A PATH EXTERIORLY OF SAID MEMBER AS THE GRAINGRAVITATES THROUGH SAID MEMBER; CONVEYOR MEANS ADAPTED TO BE MOUNTED ONSAID FRAME AND DISPOSED TO RECEIVE THE GRAIN FROM THE LOWER EXTREMITY OFSAID MEMBER AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY THEREFROM FOR DISCHARGE OF GRAIN INTOSAID HOPPER; AND SUCTION MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID CONVEYOR FOR FORCINGCURRENTS OF AIR THERETHROUGH IN A DIRECTION AND UNDER SUFFICIENTPRESSURE TO CONVEY THE GRAIN FROM SAID LOWER EXTREMITY OF THE MEMBER,UPWARDLY THROUGH THE CONVEYOR AS THE GRAIN IS ENTRAINED IN SAID CURRENTSOF AIR AND WHEREBY THE GRAIN IS ULTIMATELY DISCHARGED FROM SAID CONVEYORINTO THE HOPPER.